Medical rehabilitation and health resort treatment in patients with cardiovascular diseases

Background. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain among the leading causes of mortality and disability, thereby underscoring the clinical and socioeconomic relevance of medical rehabilitation and secondary prevention. Cardiac rehabilitation uses a multidisciplinary approach that includes exercise training, modifying risk factors, educating patients, providing psychosocial support, and improving adherence.

Objective: To summarize recent data on effective methods of medical rehabilitation and health resort treatment for CVD patients.

Material and methods. The literature search covered publications between 2014 and 2026 from the PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and eLibrary databases. Inclusion priority was given to clinical guidelines, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and randomized controlled trials in Russian and English focusing on cardiac rehabilitation, secondary prevention, telerehabilitation, and health resort treatment for CVD patients. For certain fundamental and methodological provisions, earlier sources (1996–2011) were also used.

Results. The basic principles and stages of cardiac rehabilitation were examined, including the evidence base for exercise training in patients with coronary artery disease and chronic heart failure, as well as those who have undergone percutaneous coronary interventions or coronary artery bypass grafting. Additionally, the feasibility of high-intensity interval and strength training was discussed. Particular attention was paid to health resort treatment as the second stage of rehabilitation within the Russian healthcare system, including balneotherapy, peloid therapy, and climatotherapy; their potential impact on hemodynamics, exercise tolerance, and the psycho-emotional status of CVD patients was thoroughly analyzed. Psychosocial, nutritional, and organizational aspects of rehabilitation were considered, along with the role of telerehabilitation and home-based programs in improving access to care.

Conclusion. Evidence suggests that cardiac rehabilitation improves quality of life and reduces the frequency of hospitalizations and adverse cardiovascular events. Moreover, health resort stage can be considered a significant component of comprehensive rehabilitation, provided that patients are properly selected and the methods used are further standardized.

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